ACLU calls Sessions worst AG in modern history

The American Civil Liberties Union slammed Jeff Sessions Wednesday moments after he resigned as attorney general at the request of President Trump, calling him the “the worst attorney general in modern American history.”

“He was an egregious violator of civil rights and civil liberties,” Anthony Romero, executive director of the civil rights group said in a statement before running down a list of actions Sessions took that the ACLU says undid civil rights for immigrants, women and LGBT people.

{mosads}“From his plot to deport Dreamers, remove police and law enforcement accountability, discriminate against trans people, perpetuate and expand senseless enforcement of racist drug laws, use of religion to discriminate against LGBTQ people and undermine reproductive rights, abandon protections for women against violence, and even lie to the Senate to cover up Trump campaign contact with Russian officials, his tenure as the highest chief law enforcement officer was a complete disgrace to our nation’s constitutional protections,” Romero said.

Sessions announced in a letter Wednesday that he had submitted his resignation to Trump and touted his work as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.

“The team we assembled embraced your directive to be a law and order department of Justice,” he said.

But Romero said Sessions allowed the Department of Justice to function as the political arm of the Trump administration to undo fundamental rights, disregarding years of legal precedent and settled law.

“The dismissal of the nation’s top law enforcement official is a huge step, one that should not be based on political motives — and certainly should not be done to protect the president or his cronies from the law,” Romero said.

He also said that the ACLU would keep a close eye on who is appointed the next attorney general and will watch closely what happens with the ongoing special counsel’s investigation into Russian election interference.

“While the constitution grants the president the authority to dismiss his cabinet members, we will be keeping a close watch on the future of the special counsel’s investigation and the impact of the appointment of a new Attorney General.”

Romero reinforced calls made earlier by Democrats to protect special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation.